25: REFLECTIVE RESPONSE 2 ■ 575We must ensure that DNP curricula and learning processes support trans-
formative outcomes and multidisciplinary/ collaborative learning. AACN’s practice
doctorate statement (2004) focuses on four aspects of scholarship that are salient to
academic nursing—discovery, teaching, applications in clinical practice, and inte-
gration of ideas from nursing and other disciplines. Students enter doctoral edu-
cation with varying academic experiences and skills. In particular, some students
have experienced a long gap between completion of a bachelor of science in nursing
(BSN) or master of science in nursing (MSN) and initiation of doctoral study. Their
academic writing skills may not be strong, particularly if their MSN program was
practice focused, and they are accustomed to point and click documentation. DNP
students are required to synthesize a large body of knowledge to gain knowledge in
the DNP Essentials (AACN, 2006) and translate evidence into practice. I agree with
the authors that we must “ imbed more research content and skills in the DNP degree ” and
ensure, with certainty, the rigor that is required to produce quality outcomes with
projects that are strong and sustainable.
Even when highly clinically competent, many advanced practice nurses lack the
competence and confidence to showcase their expertise, negotiate with strong and
challenging stakeholders, analyze big data, develop comprehensive business models,
facilitate structured decision making, and impact the delivery of care at the systems
level. The skills to do so, gained during DNP study, can assist graduates to practice at
a doctoral level, and create new roles and outcomes that are quantifiable and transfer-
able. Our curricula need to be engaging, self- directed with faculty facilitation of learn-
ing, transformative, and interdisciplinary, allowing DNP students to critically evaluate
their experiential learning, create links between prior knowledge and new information
thereby scaffolding learning, apply the new knowledge in a practice setting, and reflect
on the outcomes. In this way, we can begin to measure quantifiable outcomes that dif-
ferentiate doctoral level practice.
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